I originally posted this at Al Emarati – another blog I’m a guest-blogger at. Also this incident is a little old now I thought it was still worth re-posting.

This story has been the talk of the town since it hit the newspapers. And quite frankly when I first read it I was groaning with despair because Niqabis so do not need another Media bashing right now.

Ultimately though, it isn’t exactly the Niqab [face-veil] to blame but the people involved in it. However the story is written in such a way that it makes delicious food for the Niqab-haters out there.

A Man apparently married a Woman who wears the Niqab and didn’t properly see her before they got married, finding out too late that she had quite a bit of facial hair and was cross-eyed.

Dubai: An Arab ambassador said he decided to call off his wedding immediately after he discovered that his wife-to-be, who wears a niqab, was bearded and cross-eyed.

The ambassador claimed that the bride’s mother deceived his mother, when she went to see his Gulf national wife-to-be, by showing her pictures of the bride’s sister.

The Arab man, who also holds the title of minister plenipotentiary, claimed to a Sharia court judge in Dubai that the bride’s family showed his mother photos of the bride’s sister and not the woman he was going to marry.

Sources close to the case told Gulf News that the groom only saw the woman a few times. He did not realise that she had a beard because she wore the niqab the few times he met her, added the source.

First of all, islamically, it is the right of the Man and the Woman to look at each other before they marry and this is proved from the authentic narrations of the Prophet Sallalahu alayhi wasallam.

The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When one of you proposes to a woman, if he can look at that which may encourage him to go ahead and marry her, let him do so.” [Sunan Abu Dawood]

From Abu Hurayrah [RA]: “I was with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when a man came and told him that he had married a woman of the Ansaar. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to him, ‘Have you seen her?’ He said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Go and look at her, for there is something in the eyes of the Ansaar.” (Reported by Muslim, no. 1424; and by al-Daaraqutni, 3/253 (34)

From al-Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah: “I proposed marriage to a woman, and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Have you seen her?’ I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Look at her, because it is more fitting that love and compatibility be established between you.’” According to another report: “So he did that, and he married her and mentioned that they got along.” (Reported by al-Daaraqutni, 3/252 (31, 32); Ibn Maajah, 1/574)

From the above ahadith it is a consensus among the scholars that it is allowed for both spouses to look at each other before they get married. Obviously the Man in question did not do so – instead he relied upon pictures and was deceived by the daughters Mother. Who is to blame here? Definitely not the Niqab.

Which brings me to another point, how could anyone, especially a Mother deceive her future son-in-law like that? Not to mention, she should’ve given her daughter at least some sort of therapy at least before marrying her off. Also, deception about physical attributes is one of the reasons a person can annul a marriage.